Roulette is a game that involves placing bets on which number will come up on a rotating wheel. Players place their chips on a betting mat with specific locations for each type of bet.

It is important to choose a table within your budget and to know the odds of winning before you begin playing. Start by making outside bets, which have a lower house edge.

Origin

There are many fanciful stories about the origin of roulette, but it’s generally agreed that the game originated in 18th-century France. Some people believe that 17th-century French physicist Blaise Pascal invented the game while searching for a perpetual motion machine, while others claim it was derived from earlier games like hoca and portique. It is also possible that roulette evolved from an Italian game called Biribi, which used a similar gaming wheel.

Another possible source for roulette is a game that soldiers played in ancient Rome. They would spin shields that had symbols on them, and then bet on which symbol the arrow in front of them would land on. While this game has a clear link to modern roulette, there is not enough evidence to prove it actually existed.